In various fields of laboratory work, there is a need to deliver reagents in measured quantities to a plurality of receptacles. A typical example is antimicrobial susceptibility testing in the clinical microbiology laboratory. A test tray may be supplied in a dry form to facilitate shipping and to lengthen its shelf life. The test tray consists of a number of wells, each containing a different antimicrobial concentration or a biochemical for organism identification. Prior to use, the laboratory must rehydrate the tray by adding liquid to each well to resuspend the reagents contained therein.
Another example of adding liquid to a plurality of receptacles is in the field of immunology. Currently a number of different test procedures are being conducted using hetrogenous enzyme linked immuno absorbent assay techniques (Elisa). In this procedure, it is necessary to wash the receptacles with a wash solution to separate the bound components from the free components. Again, a tray containing ninety-six or more wells is commonly used.
This invention provides a simple, low cost and reliable device for adding a precise amount of liquid to a plurality of receptacles.